Game toy target



Dec.- 17, 1935.

EB. BICKER 2,024,421

GAME TOY TARGET Filed June 26, 1933 Pic-1.1

frzverrfor' E'DGAK bfbmx'm A Horne Patented Dec. 17, 1935 GAME 'roY TARGET Edgar B. Bicker, St. Louis, Mo.

Application June 26, 1933, Serial No. 677,569

4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in targets, and more particularly to targets having a large number of points or teeth projecting forwardly from its face, and adapted to be impinged by a projectile of cork, soft rubber, yarn or the like, and which will be retained on said target points until removed therefrom after target,

play.

My invention has among its objects, the production .of such a target having a plurality of points projecting therefrom, the same constructed in such a manner as to be extremely economical, easy, neat and attractivein appearance, and which will be otherwise satisfactory and efiicient for the purposes intended.

Anotherobject of my invention'is to make these target points out of a plurality of strips, each strip having many points formed thereon, and

v in which these points will be sharply defined so as to be most highly desirable for the purpose designed, these points being formed by successive stamping operations in a predetermined manner.

A further object of my invention is to so construct these target strips with additional prongs i thereon, the same to be used for mounting the strips onto the backing or mounting sheet or plate, and without the use of extraneous means whatsoever.

A still further object is to provide a method for assembling these several strips and backing sheets and target sheets, so as to insure a neat and uniform. fit and appearance over substantially the entire areas thereof.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art to vwhich this invention appertains, from the disclosures herein given. a

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction," combination of parts and arrangement'shown, and the manner of manufacture and assembly described, as will be more particularly pointed out in the claims. v

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a. front plan view of a completed game target, ready for play;

Figure 2 is a detail fragmentary view of one,

of the metal strips from which the prongs are made, as seen after the first step of punching has been completed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of r a completed strip ready for mounting;

Figure 4 is a perspective detail showing the strips mounted on the backing sheet, and the target design sheet in place; and

Figure 5 is a perspective detail showing the manner of bending the mounting prongs to hold the strips permanently on the mounting sheet. 5

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, A indicates a target generally, preferably used as part of a game requiring corks, balls, or other objects of a material sufiiciently soft and yielding, to be propelled against the face thereof, these objects being retained by the points or teeth of said target in the event that said objects nnpinge on these teeth during play. Where the teeth are made very l5 sharp, relatively light objects may be used as .missiles or projectiles during play, and they will be easily and, assuredly penetrated by said teeth and retain these objects on the target. Thus, the use of such light projectiles is encouraged, andthe game can therefore be played by quite small children, or indoors, without danger to the players or the surrounding objects.

The points are spaced apart equidistantly over the face of the target, not only increasing its attractiveness, but making for more scientific play, as in such case, there are no trick portions of the target, and a shot at any point of the target will register fairly.

Obviously, it would be tedious and expensive to insert these points into the target as separate elements, and therefore I have devised a method for making these points in gangs or sets, a number of points arranged in a double series in each set, somewhat as shown.

The strips of points are made substantially as follows: l

The metal ribbon from which the strips B are made is run through forming and punching dies of suitable form and shape, so that the resultant, 40 finished strips will be substantially channel- 'shaped in transverse cross section, with the pair of substantially paralleLupstanding arms i-l,

a a commercial standpoint, to punch. out sharp teeth from sheet metal of this character, without grinding or other operations subsequent to punching, but as will be seen more clearly hereinafter,

I have overcome this difficulty by progressive punching operation, so that the successive punchings act to overlap and shear the metal towards the free edges of the strips and make really sharp and fine points therealong.

Therefore, after the serrated edge has been left by the first punching, as shown in Fig. 2, a second punching through the metal is performed, this second punching being also a gang operation, as'for example about five openings at one stroke of the punch press, these openings being spaced apart approximately the same distance as those first-punched, and also flared outwardly toward the free edge of the strip, and of a depth equal to the depth inwardly of the free edge to the web. Therefore, the two punchings,'one set shifted linearly of the strip relatively of the other set so that the second punching will be through the metal of the tabs 4, will shear the metal from the tabs and leave the sharp points. The bounding edges of the second punches will intersect the bounding edges or sides of the first openings,

so that the tips of the resultant points will be slightly inwardly of the original free edges of the strips.

The aforesaid points will be termed play points, inasmuch as they are visible on the finished target, and co-act with the missiles propelled thereagainst during play. Other points or prongs 5 are also formed, and which need not be so sharp as the first points, these prongs 5 being termed mounting prongs, as they are used to hold the strips mounted upon a backing or mounting sheet 6, these points 5 being bent down or clamped to retain the strips in place, the same being formed during any suitable point in the process of manufacture, and extending rearwardly of the strip in the web, while the playing points extend forwardly at the channel arms.

The finished strips B may be held in predetermined spaced relation in any desirable manner, as by some sort of holding form (not shown), and then the backing sheet superimposed on the rear of the strips, and the target design sheet superimposed over the front of the strips, the latter being indicated at i and having any suitable markings or reading matter thereon, and preferably being thinner than said mounting sheet 6.

Pressure against the sheets and the strips will cause the teeth or prongs to pierce through the sheets, impaling the latter on the strips, and holding the various elements in assembled relation, but in order to more easily and safely mount said sheets in place, I have provided a flexible pad 3 of soft rubber, such as sponge rubber, or the like, to cover the front face of the target sheet, and then with adhesive first applied to the rear face of the target sheet, the rubber pad is pressed on the target sheet, causing the points to penetrate through the latter and into said rubber pad and forcing the target sheet down onto said strips and mounting sheet 6 with uniform and even pressure throughout, and resulting in a neat and workmanlike appearance.

The backing sheet 5 may be impaled on the prongs 5 at the same time as the target sheet, or previous thereto if so desired, the prongs 5 being sufficiently longer than the thickness of the sheet 6 so that they may be bent over at the rear and clamped down onto the latter. Obviously, when the target design sheet is in its finished, assembled position, the prongs 5 or the openings in the web and out of which said prongs were struck up, will be concealed, and will not detract from the neatness of the device.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my innvention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, combination, and construction, or the method used, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertai'ns, or the claims hereto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game toy target, consisting of a plurality of channel strips in predetermined spaced relation, each of said channels having a web and sides and having struck out from the sides thereof to substantially said web forwardly extending play teeth, and also having rearwardly extending mounting teeth struck from the material thereof, a mounting sheet substantially co-extensive in length with said strips and through which said mounting teeth extend to hold said strips in place, and a design sheet over the face of said play teeth and through and beyond which the latter extend for embedment into a'projectile thrown thereagainst.

2. A game target comprising a mounting sheet,

a target design sheet, and a toothed plate there-. between and having forwardly and rearwardly extending teeth struck out from the material thereof, said rearwardly extending teeth extending into the mounting sheet and the forwardlyextending teeth extending without distortion.

' arrange-:1 thereon and having play teeth extending forwardly substantially the full height of the channel sides and upon which projectiles thrown against the target can become embedded.

4. A game toy target comprising a mounting sheet and a plurality of channel strip elements arranged thereon, said elements having rearwardly extending mounting teeth struck from the channel web for reception in said mounting sheet for securement and having play teeth struck upfrom the channel sides and extending forwardly for substantially the full height of said sides and upon which projectiles thrown against the target can become embedded.

EDGAR B. BICKER. 

